Halfords pleaded guilty to 8 offences and ordered to pay a hefty £32,000

We often hear of consumers taking their newly purchased vehicles to Halfords for one of their comprehensive safety checks, or a premium service, then returning the car to our clients with a ‘wish list’ of things they want replacing or repairing, regardless of whether they were wear and tear items or not, the list often being based on advice from Halfords.

However, Halfords have themselves recently fallen victim to a Trading Standards sting, where a vehicle was anonymously booked in for a Premium Service, for the sum of £235.00. The vehicle was returned to the “customer” with 11 defects having not been rectified. These were simple defects, which could and should have been easily highlighted by the technician in question.

Halfords were subsequently prosecuted, having pleaded guilty to 8 offences and ordered to pay a hefty £32,000 fine, plus a £120 victim surcharge per vehicle. This problem arose from one of their sites in the Bristol area, while Halfords claim it to be an isolated incident and not a reflection of their standard of work in stores nationwide.

Nevertheless, it raises a question about who one might regard as a reliable expert. Even the “top” traders can be questioned! And should be!